Andhra Pradesh media house moves contempt plea in SC

NEW DELHI: An Andhra Pradesh media house moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against the state’s chief secretary, the principal secretary and the additional DGP for filing an FIR against its TV channel for airing views on alleged mismanagement of the Covid-19 situation in the state.
A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah had passed an elaborate order on April 30 disapproving the police filing FIRs against people for circulating social media posts critical of governments in managing the Covid-19 situation or scarcity of oxygen and essential medicines.
Petitioner Shreya Broadcasting, through advocate Vipin Nair, said the TV channel had attempted to present the views of all stakeholders, including doctors and medical experts, on the efforts to control the deadly second wave of Covid-19 and had also highlighted deficiencies in government actions in several areas of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Taking umbrage at the coverage and airing of views on the TV channel, the Andhra Pradesh government registered an FIR against the media house and slapped sedition charges against it and its top editor, Nair said and claimed that the registration of FIR on May 14 was in clear violation of the SC's April 30 order.
"The above-said FIR was registered after Raghurama Krishnam Raju, a sitting Member of Parliament belonging to the ruling YSRCP, gave an interview on the TV channel of the petitioner. The FIR specifically alleges that the petitioner’s channel and its heads conspired with Raju against the government to commit the alleged offences," the petition said.
"The FIR discloses that Raghurama Krishnam Raju has been making offending speeches and that the petitioner, through its media channels, gave him premeditated and organised slots. At this point, it is to be noted that the FIR is completely oblivious to the functioning of media channels and attempts to make something routine into a dreaded offence," the media house said.
"The FIR intends to create a chilling effect for news channels in the state so that every news channel is wary of hosting any content which is critical of the government. By filing a vague FIR and abusing the process of law, the state intends to silence its critics and the media, which is discharging its duty," it added.
In its order on April 30, the bench of Justices Chandrachud and Shah had said, "It is with deep distress that we note that individuals seeking help on such platforms have been targeted, by alleging that the information posted by them is false and has only been posted on social media to create panic, defame the administration or damage the national image. We do not hesitate in saying that such targeting shall not be condoned, and the central government and state governments should ensure that they immediately cease any direct or indirect threats of prosecution and arrest to citizens who air grievances or those that are attempting to help fellow citizens receive medical aid."
Issuing a contempt warning, the bench had said, "If this does keep happening even after the current order, this court shall be constrained to use the powers available to it under its contempt jurisdiction. We also direct that all directors general of police shall ensure compliance down the ranks of the police forces within their jurisdictions.”
ends